International Women’s Day – Inspire Inclusion

With it being International Women’s Day, we decided to highlight some of the incredible women in the Tenn team.

Questions: 

1. What is your main area of responsibility at Tenn?
2. In your perspective, what stands out as the most crucial factor in propelling the advancement of women in the workplace?
3. Reflecting on your career, could you share a notable milestone or accomplishment that you take particular pride in, and what valuable lessons did you draw from that experience?
4. Given the dynamic shifts in the financial landscape, what guidance or insights would you offer to young women aspiring to enter and succeed in this profession today?
5. To conclude, are there specific women role models in your life who have significantly influenced and inspired you and whom you’d like to acknowledge?

Karen Dowie, Head of Gibraltar: 

1. Responsibility: Within Tenn my responsibilities include Operations and Loan Execution.
2. Crucial Factor: Embracing diversity and inclusion within the workplace along with understanding and supporting the challenges working women encounter.  Championing a culture of equal opportunities and gender equality so women feel empowered and respected.
3. Notable milestone: Personally, I am proud that I have navigated a career and balanced full time work whilst raising two children more recently as a single parent.  Returning from maternity leave and re-entering a corporate environment is daunting experience having been out of the workplace for an extended period of time.  Each time my confidence was low and I doubted my abilities however with each return I quickly adapted, was recognised for my efforts and given further opportunities to progress in my career.  The lesson being don’t let barriers block you, believe in yourself and have the confidence no matter how intimidating the prospect/scenario may feel.
4. Guidance to others: Believe in yourself, be assertive, challenge gender stereotypes, voice your opinions and be your own advocate.  Find a mentor or sponsor who can provide support and guidance and make sure the right balance between work and home life is achieved.
5. Role models: Whilst there are many famous influential women I could name, it is my two grandmothers who have inspired me.  From working class backgrounds, both were strong, independent, hardworking women and the visible matriarchs in their respective families.

Claire Houilbecq, Senior Credit Manager: 

1. Responsibility: I work in the credit team, sitting on the credit committee leading the team through execution of deals from proposal stage to repayment of each loan.
2. Crucial Factor: Equal opportunity. Providing equal opportunities and supporting women in the workplace, organisations can increase diversity and create a more inclusive work environment. This can lead to a wider range of perspectives, ideas and solutions, which can ultimately benefit the organisation as a whole.
3. Notable milestone: Throughout my career I have worked hard for career progression and have been very fortunate to not have been held back where it can be often difficult to raise a family as well as career progression. I am a mother of 3 children and I am proud to say I’ve accomplished achieving my career as well as being the sole provider when they were younger navigating my way through balancing two very important times in my life. As my children are now getting older and entering the workplace for themselves, I see this same mental hardworking attitude filtering down which they are now applying in their careers which makes me immensely proud.
4. Guidance to others: Over the years we have seen many changes and factors which has changed the working lifestyle and flexibility in the workplace has been a positive change especiallywith women to support a good work life balance. I would say be confident in yourself to achieve what you desire and not let life events effect your career ambitions, build up networking goals and show your skills and strengths, having this visibility will show you as an important member of any organisation.
5. Role models: There is one woman that inspires me to be me and that’s my mother, I have always been an independent person which has only really been created from having the support she has given me throughout my life which has enabled me to reach a point in my career to where I am today.

Carrie Thoume, Credit Manager: 

1. Responsibility: This is predominantly on the onboarding and operations side of the business, but I also assist with some of the Credit functions, such as writing applications.
2. Crucial Factor: Support, recognition and treating us as equal, in what has previously been a predominately male orientated industry it has been difficult for some women to strive, I have seen firsthand how even the most confident hardworking women have been what I can only describe as belittled and dismissed. Firstly, this must stop and secondly, this ultimately ends in losing a hardworking and knowledgeable individual for the organisation.
3. Notable milestone: In some sense this is an accomplishment, as we held together what should have been a 6-person team with just 2 people and I learnt a very valuable lesson. It is ok and healthy to say NO sometimes. I was working 10 hours a day, then studying in the evening for a qualification. The company just accepted this as my normal and did not appreciate or acknowledge this, as such when I had enough and became burnt out, they didn’t listen. From that moment forward I vowed to never allow myself to get into that situation again.
4. Guidance to others: Hard work, determination and if you can find anyone who is will willing provide good useful advice take it, it really is something that is very hard to come by. A good management team is also a great asset for you as an individual, they will guide and assist but also support you when you need this most, circumstances do change so to have a support system in place is so beneficial.
5. Role models: Yes, to all the hard-working mums, you are amazing! As a mum to a young son and working full time, it can be incredibly difficult, you now have two full time jobs to concentrate on and juggle, the working side, and the mum side are both incredibly important but very different.